fireworks Archives - Visit Litchfield CT

Summer concerts and fireworks in Litchfield, CT 2026

Summer Concert Series and Fireworks Celebration Announced

Summer concerts & fireworks in Litchfield CT 2026 Spring has barely sprung, but it feels like summer and the announcements of the free concerts on the Green and Litchfield’s Happy 250th Birthday America celebration and fireworks show means actual summer is closer than we think.

The Free Concerts on the Green

The series of free summer concerts on the Litchfield Green sponsored by Litchfield CT Park & Recreation begins June 24 with crowd favorite Wooden Horse, which honors the music of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and America.

Nine shows are scheduled on Wednesday evenings in the season that wraps up Aug. 19. The June and July shows are 6-8 p.m. and the August shows are 5-7 p.m.

Bring your lawn chair and blanket, and Park & Rec advises grabbing dinner to go at a local restaurant to enjoy picnic-style on the Green during the concert.

Concert guests are asked to park in municipal parking lots behind the shops and restaurants on West Street or in the town hall parking lot. Summer concerts and fireworks in Litchfield, CT 2026

Park & Rec’s use of the Green for the concerts also comes with a set of rules from the Borough of Litchfield for the safety and enjoyment of all who attend the concerts:

No alcohol or cannabis is allowed on the Green.
No frisbees or balls are allowed.
No dogs are allowed on the Green and concert guests are advised to please leave them at home, not in the car.
Use garbage bins or carry out your garbage.
No climbing on trees or poles.
No open flames.

Litchfield’s Happy 250^th Birthday America Celebration

Summer concerts and fireworks in Litchfield, CT 2026 This year’s celebration at the public schools complex off Constitution Way takes place Friday, June 26, beginning at 6 p.m., with the fireworks going off at dusk, usually around 9 p.m. or just after.

There will be music by Avenue Groove from 7 to 9 p.m., food trucks, a bounce house for the kids, and birthday cake to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

Parking is available at the schools by pre-registration and payment on the Litchfield CT Park & Recreation website at a cost of $15 for residents and $25 for non-residents. As the flier notes, walk-ins are $2.

Note that you if you don’t have a Park & Rec account, you have to create one (it’s free) to register for events and programs. Please also note that no alcohol consumption or substance use is allowed on school property, including cigarettes, vape pens or cannabis.

Meanwhile, for all the other events in Litchfield celebrating the U.S. Semiquincentennial, head to the America’s 250th in Litchfield, CT website.

Summer concerts and fireworks in Litchfield, CT 2026

June events wrap up with Fourth of July fireworks in Litchfield

June Goes Out With a Bang in Litchfield + Paris, Bats & More

The second half of June in Litchfield is overflowing with great activities and some of the highlights are listed below. See the Events Calendar on the Visit Litchfield CT website for more – and enjoy!

Bat Cams Debut at White Memorial

June events in Litchfield; the barn where White Memorial's new bat cams are located — The barn where the new White Memorial bat cams are located.

The new Bat Cams are installed at the White Memorial Conservation Center (@whitememorialcc) as part of a project with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (@ct.deep) to document and showcase the resident colony of big brown bats.

The Bat Cams make their debut this Friday (6/16) in a special Bat Cam Launch Celebration and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

It’s a FREE 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒂𝒕𝒔 family-friendly event from 4-9:30 p.m. that includes talks, walks, crafts, and live bats. Guests will have the opportunity to watch the bats fly from the barn at dusk as they embark on their nightly feeding frenzy.

More info and registration is here.

Pride Week at Bantam Cinema

June is Pride Month and the Bantam Cinema & Arts Center is presenting a week of Pride programming June 16 – 21 that includes four films and two guest speakers, the Rev. J. Michael Cobb of the Watertown and Woodbury United Methodist Churches, and “Big Eden” producer Jen Chaiken.

All screenings are free thanks to sponsorship from the Pride in the Hills Fund at the Connecticut Community Foundation. For details, showtimes and to reserve a seat, head to bantamcinema.org.

June events; Pride Week at Bantam Cinema

Father’s Day Breakfast at the Northfield Volunteer Fire Company

The Northfield Volunteer Fire Company’s last breakfast before a summer break is this Sunday on Father’s Day (6/18). The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children. Everything is made to your order. Choose from any combination of pancakes, French toast, eggs your way, bacon, sausage, and home fries. Breakfast is served from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Event details are also here.

Litchfield Historical Society Events

The Litchfield Historical Society has lots of great things happening this month.

In a free Tapping Reeve Meadow program for families with newborns, infants & toddlers on June 17, from 10-10:30, Garden Educator Olivia will kickstart the children’s understanding of language, patterns, and spatial awareness. This will be an interactive program of songs, rhymes, movements, and stories for babies and their caregivers. The Tapping Reeve Meadow is located at 82 South Street and parking is available in the lot or along the street. Registration is appreciated, but not required; register online here.

Also on June 17 in the Tapping Reeve Meadow, from noon to 3 p.m., the historical society is having a picnic to celebrate Executive Director Catherine Keene Fields, who is retiring at the end of June after 35 years of leading the Litchfield Historical Society. All are welcome, and those planning to attend are asked to let the historical society know by emailing registration@litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org

On Tuesday, June 20, the historical society is presenting the Walking Tour – Homes and Histories: The Architecture of Litchfield at 5:30 p.m.

The history and stories of old Litchfield are preserved in the architecture of the town. Learn about the lives of past residents and how they are reflected in the architecture. The walk will begin at the Litchfield Historical Society and lasts approximately one hour. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a bottle of water. The tour is free for members and $10 for non-members. Register online.

Meanwhile, the historical society’s regular Weekly Walking Tour of Litchfield History takes place next on Saturday, June 24, at 1 p.m.

The weekly walking tour is the perfect way to discover Litchfield’s vibrant history and explore the town’s celebrated Historic District. Each tour provides visitors with an overview of Litchfield’s history – from the stories behind famous landmarks to anecdotes about past residents to appreciation of prominent buildings.

The Paris Bookseller Author Kerri Maher at Oliver Wolcott Library

Named one of the best Historical Fiction novels of 2022, The Paris Bookseller is a must-read for all historical fiction fans … and author Kerri Maher is coming to Oliver Wolcott Library June 22 for a live event from 7 to 8 p.m. (It will also be on Zoom.)

Details are here. In-person space is limited, and registration is required. Register here. For the Zoom link, click here at 7 p.m. on June 22.

About The Paris Bookseller:

When young American Sylvia Beach opens Shakespeare and Company on a quiet street in Paris in 1919, she has no idea that she and her new bookstore will change the course of literature itself. Many of the prominent writers of the Lost Generation, like Ernest Hemingway, consider it a second home. It’s where some of the most important literary friendships of the twentieth century are forged—none more so than the one between Irish writer James Joyce and Sylvia herself. When Joyce’s controversial novel Ulysses is banned, Beach takes a massive risk and publishes it under the auspices of Shakespeare and Company.

But the success and notoriety of publishing the most infamous and influential book of the century comes with steep costs, and Sylvia faces both painful personal and financial crises.

Kerri Maher is the national bestselling author of The Girl in White Gloves, The Kennedy Debutante, and The Paris Bookseller. She holds an MFA from Columbia University and taught writing for eight years, starting as a grad student, then as a lecturer at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. Visit her website at kerrimaher.com

Tours of the Cottage at Topsmead State Forest

Tours of the landmark English Tudor-style cottage at the 510-acre Topsmead State Forest, decorated with Miss Edith Morton Chase’s collection of art and antiques, begin again for each season in June.

The 45-minute tours provided by Friends of Topsmead State Forest begin at noon and run on the hour and half hour, with the last tour offered at 4:30 p.m. Guests should meet a tour docent at the front door of the house, and each group is limited to eight people, first come, first served.

Here are the remaining tour dates for 2023:

June 24, 25
July 8, 9, and 22, 23
August 12, 13, and 26, 27
Sept. 9, 10, and 23, 24
Oct. 14, 15

See the website for more: https://www.friendsoftopsmead.org/

Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy Annual Benefit

The Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy is holding its biggest fundraiser of the year June 24. The festive dinner party with live music, held at the Conservancy’s field under a tent, begins at 6 p.m. and tickets are $175 per person. Info and tickets are here.

This event helps Ripley protect many endangered waterfowl species among its 400 birds. The theme this year is Water Renewal and funds are being raised to continually innovate water conservation and filtering systems.

Founded by S. Dillon Ripley, former Secretary of the Smithsonian, and his wife, Mary Livingston Ripley, the conservancy is home to more 80 species of birds from around the world. It’s a breeding facility focused on maintaining genetic diversity of rare and endangered species, and an education center that’s open to the public from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through November.

Fourth of July Fireworks (on June 30)

The Town of Litchfield and Litchfield Park & Recreation present a terrific Fourth of July fireworks show each year at Litchfield High School and this year it’s taking place on Friday, June 30, with a rain date of Sunday, July 9.

Anyone can walk to the high school and enjoy the show – or you can register online to secure a parking space at the school for $20 and bring a carload of guests. Register for as space here. Lots open at 7 p.m. and the show begins around 9 p.m.

Note that no parking will be allowed on Constitution Way, and the number of spaces at the school is limited to 200.

Litchfield 4th of July: Fireworks, Pet Parade, Revolutionary Heroes

Litchfield Fireworks, Friday evening (July 1)

If you saw Litchfield’s fireworks last year, you know. If you didn’t, you probably heard—the display was fantastic!

Fireworks return this Friday at Litchfield High School and there are still spots available. The cost is $20 per vehicle. You register online and have to pay ahead of time.

You can enjoy food from the Meraki Food Truck and ice cream for dessert, or bring your own picnic and enjoy it on the field. (Don’t forget bug spray, sweatshirts and blankets.)

The rain date is July 8 and there are no refunds, so check that both dates work for you. (And note that there is no alcohol consumption or substance use allowed on school grounds, which includes cigarettes and vape pens.)

Thanks to the sponsors, Litchfield Bancorp and Litchfield-Morris Rotary Club

Fireworks at South Farms, Saturday (July 2) … SOLD OUT

We don’t want to spoil the fun but thought it best to share that Saturday’s event at South Farms is sold out. Those lucky enough to have tickets should have a great time enjoying the live music (Wires & Wood and Nat Worden), libations, and open-fire cooking by @theCorner’s Chef Carlos Perez and Jeff Schmidt of Hindsight BBQ. Cheers!

Heroes of the Revolution Walking Tour, 10 a.m. Sunday (July 3)

The Litchfield Historical Society offers its popular walking tour of the historic district at 1 p.m. on Saturday (July 2), and this weekend there’s a second tour on Sunday that will focus on the town’s Heroes of the Revolution and how Litchfield’s residents, young and old, contributed to the founding of the nation. It’s free for members and $10 for non-members. Register in advance for the 10 a.m. tour and meet at the Litchfield History Museum.

Honoring Governor Oliver Wolcott
and Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge, noon, Monday (July 4)

Each year on July 4^th, the Mary Floyd Tallmadge Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) gathers at the cemetery east of the Green on Route 118 at noon to honor Governor Oliver Wolcott, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge, George Washington’s spymaster.

The First Litchfield Artillery fires cannons for each, and the Sons of the American Revolution will fire their muskets. Watch the DAR chapter’s Facebook page for further details.

Let Freedom Ring, 1 p.m., Monday (July 4)

The First Litchfield Artillery Regiment will fire its cannons at the All-Wars Memorial in Bantam to commemorate Independence Day as part of the national Let Freedom Ring ceremony that was conceived by founder of the regiment, Eric Hatch, and adopted by Congress on June 26, 1963.

In addition to the First Litchfield Artillery, the ceremony will include the Spirit of ’76 Fife and Drum Corp, the Mary Floyd Tallmadge Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Governor Oliver Wolcott Sr. Branch of the Sons of the American Revolution.

The event will start at 1 p.m. with the fife and drum corp. At 1:30 a cannon will signal the start of a presentation for flags of the original 13 colonies, along with musket volleys and cannon fire for each. After the flag presentations the cannons will fire 13 times and bells will ring.

Follow the Facebook page of American Legion Post 44 for updates.

Pet Parade, Tapping Reeve Meadow, 2:15 Monday (July 4)

The Litchfield’s Historical Society’s popular and free 4th of July Pet Parade and Turn-of-the-Century Fest will be held from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Tapping Reeve Meadow behind the Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School.

All pets (dogs, cats, snails, or stuffed animals) are invited to the free Independence Day Celebration. The first stop before joining the parade is the judge’s booth. Judges Bette and Jerry Geci will choose the perfect award for each pet, from Best Bark to Terrific Tail, and everything in between.

After the award ceremony, guests can enjoy old-fashioned amusements, including sack races, tug-of-war contests, a photo booth, and an ice cream social. (Ice cream is donated by Arethusa Farm Dairy and refreshments are donated by Litchfield Stop n’ Shop.)

Pets must be on a leash or in a cage, and if applicable, must be up to date with immunizations. Parade registration begins at 2:15. Head to the historical society’s website for more information and to pre-register your pet.

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